Report: Manchester Magic 64-57 Bristol Flyers II

Flyers started strong with Asa Waite attacking the offensive glass and finding the angle for a put-back lay-up. A turnover allowed Magic to get an early transition score. Roy Owen was able to break down the Magic defence off the drive and score but turnovers remained an issue for Flyers and Magic were able to keep the game close with easy baskets of their own.

Flyers’ Asa Waite was effective getting to the basket and racked up another pair of paint scores. Waite’s fellow Welsh international Luke Gordos scored a second lay-up and then followed-up with a three-pointer to begin edging the Magic ahead.

With Flyers struggling to score, a timely three-pointer from Kuda Mubaiwa brought the game close but Magic widened the margin with second chance points from Captain Richard Bell. Magic closed out the quarter with a three-pointer from Jason Ani to put them up 25-17.

Ani stayed hot to start the second quarter, scoring on successive drives to the basket and drawing fouls for points at the free-throw line. The flurry of scoring stretched the Manchester margin to a game high 13 points. Landolfi hit a much needed three-pointer for Flyers. Dinnall followed up with a quick five points, first hitting from outside the arc then driving in for a lay-up. Ferguson was able to get to the line and cut the deficit to 40-30 at half-time.

Landolfi splashed a pair of three-pointers to cut the Magic lead to single digits. With scrappy play seeing multiple turnovers and misses from both teams, Flyers were unable to make further inroads in the quarter. Magic got back on track with Ani getting to the foul line once more. Malachi Boakye-Yiadom finished the quarter with a floating jump-shot to put Magic ahead 55-44. 

Flyers showed toughness, starting the fourth quarter with another run behind scores from Jermaine Major and Dinnall. Callum McCulloch’s relentless rebounding saw him get multiple attempts at the basket before drawing a shooting foul and cutting the lead to just five points at the free-throw line.

Ani was again effective off the bench for the home team, completing a three-point play for Magic. Another three-pointer from Landolfi and a trip to the foul line for Owen saw the Magic lead dwindling further. Landolfi was able to drive baseline and score to cut the margin to just three-points with only two minutes remaining. 

Flyers struggled with further turnovers down the stretch while Magic were able to get more second chance points from veteran Daniel Pilkington. A Flyers timeout failed to produce a much needed score and Ani was able to capitalise with a lay-up at the other end for a game high 19 points. Magic were able to close out the game at the free-throw line as Flyers fouled to regain possession but were unable to find ways to score.